1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a mixing arrangement, referred to as a mixing block, for use in mixing multiple liquids, like an acidic and a basic component of a cleaning solution, which is placed under pressure and sprayed through a conventional spray gun or nozzle at a lower pressure. In particular, the innovative design of the present invention provides the unique features of allowing manual and visual inspection of the various chambers, inlets, flow-rate reducing orifices, supply filters, and backflow preventing valves of the mixing block.
2. State of the Art
There is a need in the art to provide a mixing block that filters fluids entering the mixing block, that reduces the rate of flow of mixed solution exiting the mixing block, that prevents the backflow of liquids into supply hoses, that provides for ample mixing space, and that allows for mixing chamber access to facilitate periodic manual inspection, cleaning and/or flow regulation. Typical mixing arrangements involve a mixing chamber with two inlets on opposite sides of a central chamber which mix when injected into the chamber and which pool in a reservoir until the mixed solution flows out of a single outlet connected to a spray gun, or other dispensing tool, by a hose or pipe.
A common problem for these typical mixing arrangements, however, is that particulate matter or other large contaminants rapidly clog the spray gun or mixing chamber channels resulting in frequent delays in use due to laborious and wasteful line flushing. Typical mixing blocks do not provide easily accessible mixing chambers for periodic inspection and manual cleaning if necessary. Many embodiments rely on pressurized flushing of the mixing chambers rather than providing first for filtration and visual inspection of obstructions. Finally, certain liquid dispensing applications require a reduction of mixed solution flow rates, this is especially true where a liquid is stored under pressure and needs to be pumped or placed into a less pressurized environment. Additionally, almost every application requires the prevention of mixed solution flowing back upstream into an individual supply hose or supply pipe.
The following patents teach several approaches attempting to solve similar problems, which are provided not as admitted prior art, but as providing reference for what is considered to be state of the art, and are herein incorporated by reference for their relevant and supporting teachings:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,880 issued to Bazil et al., describes a mixing block for mixing fluid components of a multi-component system and which includes at least two component inlets, wherein each component inlet receives a respective component(s) of the multi-component system; and a solvent inlet, wherein the solvent inlet receives solvent for use in cleaning the mixing block.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,223 issued to Sherman et al., describes a spray nozzle fluid regulator and restrictor combination for controlling fluid supplied to a spray nozzle used in a fluid supply system including a pressure regulator portion and a fluid restrictor portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,973 issued to Liljeqvist et al., describes double barrel sprayer for applying a diluted product such as a diluted cleaning solution to a surface for cleaning thereof and rinsing the diluted product from the surface by spraying a water-only rinse onto the surface.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,361 issued to Sugiura, describes a new static mixer with a low pressure loss and a high agitating/mixing efficiency. The mixer comprises a mixing body having a larger diameter than the fluid passage, a mixing body cylinder portion, an inlet hollow portion, and an outlet hollow portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,291 issued to Flinn et al., describes a cleaning solution spraying system for cleaning roofs and other outside areas on or about a house that includes in combination: a venturi unit, a nozzle unit, a coupling hose, a tubular arrangement, a conduit, a check valve, a shut-off valve, and a check valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,052 issued to Kukesh, describes a novel fluid dispensing system with air motor driven pumps which provide a substantially constant pre-selected dispensation of fluids without deleterious transient variations in the fluid output as the dispensing system is operated on and off.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,856 issued to Gorth et al., describes a fluid circuit for a cleaning device having a mixture with separate water and cleaning fluid inlets and fittings interconnecting a pressurized source of water and a pressurized source of cleaning fluid responsive to change the mixing ratio of cleaning fluid to water as to assure the degree of mixing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,053,202 issued to Dwyer et al., describes an improved static mixer for use in a plural component dispensing apparatus having a spacer intermediate a plurality of mixing elements to enhance the mixing and blending of the plural components.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,468 issued to Davenport, describes a device for mixing and spraying a mixture of two liquids at a prescribed rate of flow in a prescribed proportion to one another, one liquid being under atmospheric pressure with the other under variable pressure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,119 issued to Truong, describes a method and apparatus for generating a small, maneuverable stream of filtered fluid without benefit of pump or power.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,305 issued to Franklin, describes an apparatus useful for providing a plurality of chemical compositions useful to clean an item, e.g. a tank comprises a plurality of reservoirs each containing a concentrated form of a different chemical composition and each having an outlet through which the concentrate exits the reservoir.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,975 issued to Stevenson, describes a dynamic non-recycling pumping system for combining at least one chemical agent with a liquid carrier to produce a mixture for spraying on a target. The pump has an adjustable pressurized output line and an adjustable vacuum containing a primary suction input line.
It is believed that none of the prior art patents teach, alone or in combination, the presently illustrated embodiments of the current invention. Although, many prior art inventions have attempted to solve one or more of the aforementioned problems, the present invention jointly addresses many of these concerns in a simple cost effective way.